Challenges in Documenting Non-Fatal Drowning Disability in Bangladesh: A Community-Based Survey.

Jagnoor Jagnoor,Aliki Christou,Aminur Rahman,Medhavi Gupta,Kris Rogers,Rebecca Q Ivers,Soumyadeep Bhaumik,Kamran Ul Baset

doi:10.3390/ijerph18189738

Abstract

Limited access to health care and the lack of robust data systems means non-fatal drownings are largely missed in low-and middle-income countries. We report morbidity among individuals who experienced non-fatal drowning in the Barishal Division, Bangladesh. A representative household survey was conducted in the Barishal Division in southern Bangladesh between September 2016 and February 2017, covering a population of 386,016. The burden of non-fatal drowning was assessed using the WHODAS 2.0 disability assessment tool, a generic assessment instrument for health and disability. A total of 5164 non-fatal drowning events occurred in the one year preceding the survey. Among these 18% were multiple events. From these, 4235 people were administered the WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire. Non-fatal drowning incidence rates were highest in children aged 1–4 years at 5810 per 100,000 population, and among males. Non-fatal drowning was associated with lower socio-economic status and larger family sizes. Few respondents (6.5%; 95% CI: 4.5–8.4%) reported some level of disability (WHODAS-12 score > 8). Incidence of non-fatal drowning is high in the population, however limited impact on morbidity was found. There is a need to develop tools and methodologies for reliable and comparable data for non-fatal drowning, especially to capture post-event disability in children.

Highlights

Introduction published maps and institutional affilDrowning is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in children and adults, with over 90% of drowning occurring in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) [1]
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of non-fatal drowning on disability and functioning using the WHODAS 2.0 disability assessment tool among individuals who experienced a non-fatal drowning in the Barishal Division in Bangladesh
This study showed that disability resulting from non-fatal drowning was relatively a non-fatal drowning events included an inability to stand for a long period, emotional effects, reduced concentration, and difficulty walking long distances

Summary

Introduction

Drowning is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in children and adults, with over 90% of drowning occurring in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) [1]. In. Bangladesh, drowning accounts for 43% of deaths of children aged 1–5 years and is currently the leading cause of death in this age group [2]. In 2005, the rate of non-fatal drowning in children aged 1–17 years old in Bangladesh was 118 per 100,000 population, several times higher than the rate of drowning deaths (28.6/100,000) [2]. Advancements in verbal autopsy methods have led to reasonable measurements of the extent of the burden of fatal drowning [3], morbidity or disability, such as brain and respiratory injury, resulting from non-fatal drowning incidents has not been adequately explored or quantified in LMICs. Non-fatal drowning can have many long-term health, social and economic consequences including permanent neurological disability that requires ongoing care, often iations

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